Pride-and-Prejudice读后感

PrideandPrejudice1.SummaryPrideandPrejudiceisamasterpieceofJaneAusten(16December1775–18July1817)whoisanoutstandingEnglishnovelist.HerworksofromanticfictionsetamongthegentryhaveearnedheraplaceasoneofthemostwidelyreadandmostbelovedwritersinEnglishliterature.InthenovelPrideandPrejudice,Austenmainlydescribesfourmarriages:Mr.CollinsandMrs.Charlotte;WickhamandLydia;BingleyandJane;DarcyandElizabeth.Sheusesherironicandwittywordstocriticizethepursuitofmoneyandstatusinmarriageandemphasistheimportanceoftrueloveinmarriage.ThemainfocusofthenovelareDarcyandElizabeth.BecauseofthefirstbadimpressionofDarcythatheisarrogant,conceitandsnobbish,ElizabethiseasilyfooledbyWickhamwhoischarmingandwell-spoken.SheisdeeplyconvincedthatDarcyhasdonethosebadthingstoWickham.Throughherconjecture,ElizabethbelievesthatDarcyhasinterferedintheaffairsofseparatingJaneandBingley.BecauseofhermisunderstandingandmisjudgmentofDarcy,ElizabethrejectsDarcy'sproposalwithoutanyhesitationandevensays...IfeltthatyouwerethelastmanintheworldwhomIcouldeverbeprevailedontomarry.ButafterreadingDarcy'sconfessionletter,Elizabethtotallyrealizeshowbigthemistakeshehasmade.ShegraduallyfindsoutthegoodmeritsofDarcyespeciallyhischanginginmannerandheraffectiontowardsDarcybeginstoraise.AfterElizabethknowsthetruthofDarcy'sassistanceinsavinghersisterLydia'sreputation,theybothrealizeseachother'sloveandgetmarriedeventually.2.JaneAusten'sIronicArtPartone:TheIronyofFoolishnessandHypocrisyJaneAusten'sironyisdevastatinginitsexposureoffoolishnessandhypocrisy.ThemostimpressiveexamplesarethecharactersAustenhadportrayed:Mrs.BennetandMr.Collins.JustastheverybeginningofthestorysaysItisatruthuniversallyacknowledged,thatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortune,mustbeinwantofawife.Mrs.Bennetmakesherbestefforttomarryoffherdaughterstowealthyyoungmen.Silly,noisy,capricious,Mrs.Bennet’sbehaviordoesmoretoharmherdaughters’chancesatfindinghusbandsthanitdoestohelp.Inhereyes,socialstatusorpossessionsaremuchmoreimportantthanherdaughters'happiness.Attheverybeginning,ShecriticizesMr.Collins'svisitbecauseofhisinheritanceofBennetfamily'sproperty.ButwhensheknowsthatMr.Collinswantstomarryoneofherdaughters,sheisextremelyexcitedandspeakshighlyofMr.Collins.Therefore,Elizabeth'srejectiontoMr.Collins'sproposalissuchadaylightthundertoMrs.Bennetthatshecannotabsolutelybelieveandtotallyacceptit.TheconflictbetweenMrs.BennetandDarcyisobvious,Darcymaybetheworstyoungmaninhereyes,butwhenshehearsDarcy'sproposaltoElizabeth,herattitudetowardsDarcytotallychangesthatsheacceptsDarcywithouthesitationandconsiderstheirmarriagetobethebestone.Allinall,itispossessionthatmatterstoMrs.Bennet.Mr.Collinsisanothervividironiccharacter.Judgingfromhisselectionofwife:fromJanetoElizabethandthentoCharlotte,itissohastyforhimtomakedecisionsthatheisjustinneedofawife.Austendescribeshimasnotasensibleman,andthedeficiencyofnaturehadbeenbutlittleassistedbyeducationorsociety.Inhismind,asaclergymanineasycircumstancesandhavingconnectionwiththeupperclass(LadyCatherine),hisproposaltoElizabethisboundtobeasuccess.Hemakeshisproposalsofloweryandobsequious.WhenElizabethrefuseshisproposal,heconcludes“youarenotseriousinyourrejectionofme,Ishallchoosetoattributeittoyourwishofincreasingmylovebysuspense,accordingtotheusualpracticeofelegantfemales”.Whataninterestingandironicsceneitis!What'smoreinterestingandattractiveisthatwhenMr.CollinshasgotmarriedandElizabethcallsathisparsonage,hisself-satisfactorythoughts“...shewaspreparedtoseehiminhisglory;andshecouldnothelpfancyingthatindisplayingthegoodproportionoftheroom,itsaspectanditsfurniture,headdressedhimselfparticularlytoher,asifwishingtomakeherfeelwhatshehadlostinrefusinghim”.Thus,Mr.Collins’hypocrisy,self-deceptionandfoolishnessareportrayedmostvividly.ThroughthesubtlesatireandironyuponMrs.Bennet,Mr.Collins,etc.,JaneAustenshowshercontemptuousfeelingstowardssnobbery,stupidity,worldlinessandvulgarity.Parttwo:TheTheme---Pride&PrejudicePrideandprejudicealwayscorrespondwitheachotherthataredisplayedinthetwomajorcharacters:DarcyandElizabeth.Asthesonofawealthy,well-establishedfamilyandthemasterofthegreatestateofPemberley,Darcyisproudandhaughty.AsWickhamnotesinhisslyassessment,“Hisprideneverdesertshim;butwiththerich,heisliberal-minded,just,sincere,rational,honorable,andperhapsagreeable—allowingforfortuneandfigure.”Becauseofhisbeliefinnaturalsuperiorityofwealthy(pride),heistendtolookdownuponlowerclass(prejudice).Soanobstaclebetweenthemissetupattheverybeginning.Darcyisalsoproudofconfidenceinjudgment.AfterhiscarefulobservationofJane,hebelieves(pride)thatJanedoesn'tloveBingleyandmakessomeeffortstoseparatethem(prejudice).Fortunately,afterElizabethpointingouthismistakes,hetotallyrealizeshisprejudiceandhumblychangeshisattitude.Elizabethisgoodatobservingotherstojudgethewiseandfool,justasshesays“IhopeIneverridiculewhatiswiseorgood.Folliesandnonsense,whimsandinconsistenciesdodivertme,Iown,andIlaughatthemwheneverIcan.”Becauseofherintelligenceandpride,byjudgingMr.Collins'scharacteristics,ElizabethrefusesMr.Collins'sproposalwithoutanyhesitationan